Garment-supporter.



L. A. MYERS, JR.

Patented Dec.l31, 1912.

UNIT

SAT

EN "tong GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

ing strip or member, such as a belt, suspen-` der, or the like.

The principal aim of the invention is to so form the fastening part or buckle of such a device that the normally exposed or outer surface of the same may be quite flat and devoid of hooks or other outwardly extending parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for clamping a strip.

or strap in position within the buckle or fastening part, the clamping means being of exceeding simplicity, and adapted to be manipulated with the greatest facility. l have furthermore aimed to so construct the said clamping means that it shall most securely grasp the fabric or material inserted therethrough, whereby to hold the same against inadvertent displacement.

These, and other, objects of my invention will be hereinafter referred to, and the novel elements and combinations of elements by means of which the same may be .attained will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views; I have exemplified two preferred forms of construction; but l am aware that various 'modications and changes may be made in my device within the purview of my invention, and hence desire to be limited only by the scope of the said appended claim.

Figure l is a perspective view of a belt with my novel fastening means in place thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of said fastening means and belt, the section being taken on line Il-U, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the said fastening means, observed from the rear; showing the manner o-f attaching the.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 25, 1.6212Y Patented Dec. 31,1912.

Serial No. 685,955.

extremity, for example, of a belt thereto. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a fragment of a suspender having a buckle constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention in position thereon. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same, taken on line V-V, of Fig. 4; the section being drawn to an enlarged scale.

In Fig. l the belt, which may be of leather, linen, or other suitable material, has been designated 1, and the fastening means or buckle has been broadly designated 2. In the present instance this buckle comprises an annular plate or apertured disk 3, which is preferably dished slightly, as shown in Fig. 2. For convenience hereinafter in describing the mode of operation of the device, the aperture in this element has been designated t; and it will be observed that a port-ion of the free end 5 o-f the belt is preferably exposed therethrough.

The annulus 2 is preferably made somewhat larger in diameter than the width of the portion of the strip which is to be engaged therewith; but this is by no means objectionable as it rather tends to set off the buckle. rIhe buckle hence overlaps the belt proper upon either side thereof and ears 6 are formed, preferably integral with the annulus at these overlapping portions; said ears being bent around, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to form rearwardly directed eyes upon either side of the belt l. These eyes have short slits 7 in the inner sides thereof, which are adapted for the reception of the reduced tongue-like extremities 8 of a normally bowed clamping spring 9. This spring is made of slightly greater' length than can be accommodated between the ears, so that when in use it will assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, wherein it is substantially concentric with the dished annulus 3. Struck up prongs or tongues l0 may be provided at spaced intervals over the surface of this bowed spring, said tongues being pointed, and the points being outwardly directed from the body of the wearer toward the dished annulus. Assuming, for example, that the belt be made of leather, the inner face 1l thereof is usually unfinished and this affords an excellent medium for engagement with these teeth. llVhile, of course, at least one set of the teeth should bend generally in the direction of the extremity 5 of the belt, it is advisable to provide a double set of these teeth-the teeth of the respective sets being oppositely directed; so not only is the belt held against slippage which might tend to loosen it around the waist of the wearer; but it is further held securely against any movement whereby it might be tightened inadvertently. To release the spring pressure-piece 9 and the teeth thereof from the leather' or fabric, it is merely necessary to insert the thumb or finger into the aperture 4l, and press the material of the belt rearwardly at this point toward the body of the wearer. This causes the bowed spring to assume a somewhat sinusoidal form, the center thereof being bowed rearwardly with respect to the element 8, while the lateral portions are still in engagement with the belt surface 11. Continued rearward movement of the central portion, however, causes the lateral parts to suddenly spring backwardly, when the entire resilient strip assumes substantially the form indicated in dott-ed lines 12, in Fig. 2; the belt at such time being freely movable between the pronged spring clamp or plate and the inner surface of the dished annulus.

The apertures or eyes in the ears 6 are of suiiicient size to permitof the insertion thereinto, preferably in front of the tongues 8, of t-he laterally directed extremities or legs 13 of a cross bar or yoke 14. The tips of the legs or ends 13 being inwardly bent as at 15, and the corresponding portionsI upon the opposite sides of the ears 6 being also inwardly directed as at 16, in order to hold the yoke securely in position upon the rear side of the annulus. The central or main portion of this yoke is slightly oset, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit of the insertion thereunder of one end ofthe belt 1, this end being looped therearound, and being sewed, or otherwise secured, back upon itself as at 17, in a well-known man ner.

The operation of this form of device is as follows: The belt is placed around the waist of the wearer and the point of the extremity 5 thereof is inserted between the clamping spring 9 and the dished plate, the spring being in the position designated 12 in Fig. 2. The extremity 5 of the belt is grasped by the fingers of the wearer and the belt is drawn as snugly around the waist as desired, whereupon the finger may be inserted back of the buckle and pressed against the rear wall of the clamping spring, thereby driving it into engagement with the inner face 11 of the belt. Even without the provision of the tongues or prongs 1() the belt will be quite firmly held; but the insertion of these prongs into the belt fabric or material effectively serves to secure it still more firmly against inadvertent displacement. To remove the belt it is merely necessary to press firmly against the portion of the same which is exposed through the aperture 4.-; after which the end 5 may be freely withdrawn from the buckle.

Where a stift or short clamping spring is used it may, in some instances, become necessary to provide auxiliary or yielding means for permitting the movement thereof from its position of disengagement to its engaging position, and vice versa; and particularly is this the case where the buckle is made of relatively small size, as for cx` ample where it is designed for a narrow belt or for use upon a suspender strap. 1n Figs. l and 5 l have exemplified such an auxiliary means which is particularly adapted to this end, and the provision of which does not materially increase the cost of the article. In Fig. 4: the part which corresponds to ythe dished annulus 3 is rectangular, and has been designated 3. This member is provided with rearwardly directed ears 6, as in the preceding case; the yoke 14 having the legs 13 thereof disposed in the apertures in the ears; the yoke legs being bent as at 15 and 16, as in the previous instance. The aperture of the dished member 3 is in this case substantially oblong or rectangular; although, of course, the particular shape of this aperture is immaterial; and the webbing of, for example, a suspender, is exposed therethrough exactly as is the belt in the preceding case. One extremity of this webbing may be doubled back upon itself around the yoke, as at 18, and sewed or otherwise secured thereto in the usual manner. lThe clamping spring 9 is preferably provided with teeth 10 and tongues 8; the lat-ter at the extremities thereof, so that it has much the same shape as the spring 9 previously described. r1`he essential diiference herein resides in the provision of a series of flutings or corrugations 19 on this clamping piece; said corrugations extending laterally across said piece. Any suitable number of flutings or corrugations may be provided, but 1 find that usually one or two at each end of the normally bowed clamp are sufficient. rlheir function is to enable the piece to be readily snapped into and out of engagement with the webbing, or other material, which the buckle is intended to engage. l/Vhen, for example, the finger is pressed against the material 1, exposed through the opening t', these laterally extending corrugations being resilient, as is the rest of the strip, will in effect be crumpled up or driven together slightly so as to take up in a large measure the difference in overall length between the arc which the resilient strip normally conforms to, and the said arc. This feature, while small, 1 regard as 0f considerable value, in that it permits of a successful use of the buckle in connection with strips or straps of material 4which are relatively quite narrow in width.

Having described my invention, I ing through said eyes and secured therein olairmand against the extremities of said spring A device of the Class described comprising a plate, whereby said eyes and yoke hold the dshed plate having a central aperture therespring plate to said dished plate. 5 in and a pair of opposed eyes at the opposite In witness whereof, I subscribe my signa- 15 edges of the plate, a spring plate extending ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

diametrically across the back of the dished LEWIS A. MYERS, JR. plate and having its ends engaging into Witnesses: the eyes, and a yoke adapted for attaeh- WALDo M. CHAPIN,

10 ment to a strap and having its legs engag- WILLIAM C. LARG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

